1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure, and more particularly, to a structure for mounting a circuit board to a housing of a data processing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art data processing device 10. The data processing device 10 can be a server or a computer. The data processing device 10 comprises a shell 12, a motherboard (circuit board) 14, and a housing 16. In order to mount the motherboard 14 onto the housing 16, a surface of the housing 16 has a plurality of circular posts 16a installed on it, and the motherboard 14 has a plurality of holes 14a formed corresponding to the circular posts 16a. As shown in FIG. 1, upper portions of the circular posts 16a have a diameter smaller than a diameter of lower portions of the circular posts 16a for being inserted into the holes 14a of the motherboard 14. Inner portions of the upper portions of the circular posts 16a are cut into threaded holes. Therefore, the motherboard 14 can be mounted onto the housing 16 by screwing screws 18 onto the corresponding threaded holes of the circular posts 16a. 
The prior art mounting method for mounting the motherboard 14 onto the housing 16 has many defects. Users must lock the plurality of screws 18 onto the threaded holes so as to fix the motherboard 14 onto the housing 16. It is inconvenient, time consuming, and expensive. The detachment operation is also difficult. When users want to detach the motherboard 14 from the housing 16, users must first remove all the screws 18 from the threaded holes, and then vertically lift up the motherboard 14 so as to detach the holes 14a of the motherboard 14 from the circular post 16a. The lifting motion is not difficult to achieve if the data processing device 10 is a small-scale personal computer. However, if the data processing device 10 is a server or other large-scale data processing device 10, the motherboard 14 is not easily lifted since the motherboard 14 of the server is heavy. Moreover, some of the servers are installed on a rack for long times, making it difficult for users to detach the motherboard 14 from the rack directly when using the prior art assemble method. In addition, when locking the screws 18 into the threaded holes or unlocking the screw 18 from the threaded holes, it is easy to form a short circuit if a screw falls onto the motherboard 14.
Therefore, a structure for easily mounting a motherboard onto a housing and easily detaching the motherboard from the housing of a data processing device is important for users.
It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a structure for easily mounting a circuit board onto a housing and easily detaching the circuit board from the housing of a data processing device, so as to solve problems of the prior art data processing device. Users can mount the circuit board onto the housing without using screws. The claimed invention structure is simple, has a low cost, and can prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI). Users can further install other components on the circuit board at a position above fixing devices so that the space of the circuit board can be efficiently used.
The claimed invention, briefly summarized, discloses a structure for mounting a circuit board to a housing of a data processing device. The structure comprises a mounting post, a retaining unit, and a stopper. The mounting post secured to the circuit board has a groove formed on the outer surface of the mounting post. The retaining unit provided on a surface of the housing has a slot with an open end for receiving the mounting post through the groove along a direction parallel to the surface of the housing. The circuit board is inserted into the housing through the cooperation of the mounting post and the retaining unit. The stopper provided on the housing of the data processing device is moveable between a first position and a second position. When the stopper is in the first position, the stopper stops the circuit board from moving out of the housing along the direction parallel to the surface of the housing. When the stopper is in the second position, the stopper allows the circuit board to move out from the housing along the direction parallel to the surface of the housing.
It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the claimed invention structure does not need to use screws to mount the circuit board onto the housing of the data processing device. Therefore, the claimed invention can prevent a short circuit from being caused by a screw falling onto the circuit board. Users can pull out the circuit board or insert the circuit board along the direction parallel to the surface of the housing, and do not need to vertically lift up the circuit board, so the assembly is convenient and quick. Besides, the housing of the data processing device, the retaining unit, and the mounting post are made of metal. Therefore, the circuit board can electrically connect to the ground housing through the mounting post and the retaining unit in order to efficiently prevent electromagnetic interference. The circuit board further comprises a throughhole. One end of the mounting post is secured to the throughhole by using surface mounting technology (SMT). An inner portion of the mounting post is cut into a threaded hole. The threaded hole can be used to install other components onto the circuit board so that the space of the circuit board can be efficiently used.